Sept 8, 2019
Today was a travel day. Got up and packed and left our lovely home in Vietri Sul Mare. We stopped in town for a delicious coffee and sandwich while overlooking the Amalfi Coast. It was one of those moments for me. Just happy to be there.
Got on the road and headed for the airport. Getting to the airport, returning the car, shuttling back to the airport and boarding an Italian plane went rather uneventfully. The plane ride was short but not sweet. Loud and smelly and not very comfortable. Arriving in Palermo, Sicily we found our way to yet another rental car counter and picked up our car. This car is easier to drive per David and quite a bit more comfortable. It was about a 40 min drive to our Air BnB which also went quite smooth. A little bit of a challenge figuring out where out apartment was but we managed ok. All the Italian streets are the same, narrow and so difficult to figure out street names and where something is located. I think we are getting a little better at it. The woman who met us at the apartment and a long list of instructions, some of which are new. Every day but Sunday, you must pay five Euros to drive in this part of the city. There are certain streets that are pedestrian only and even though they are streets, you must not drive there. She told us how to buy a pass each morning to be allowed to drive and I'm just hoping we can figure out how to follow all the rules.
After settling in, we headed out to walk the city. I must admit to a rather rough entry. For some reason, I thought Palermo was a small town. It is a bustling international city with over a million people in its metropolitan area. Our apartment is right on Via Roma which is a very busy street. I'm not really a city girl but I'm trying to enjoy the rhythm of the life here in the heart of Palermo. Not sure how I missed knowing more about this city. I thought I did my research but sometimes you miss the big things. We walked to the Historical Center of the city which is very close to our apartment. The buildings are truly amazing and the Royal Palace here is the oldest royal building in Europe, built in the 9th century. It is another Unesco World Heritage site and not allowed to be altered. The churches and old buildings are everywhere, sculptures and paintings abound. It is Italy. Old and beautiful.
To say this was a wonderful day would not be the truth. But it had its charm and romance. Some travel days are harder than others. This was one of those, especially for me.
Today was a travel day. Got up and packed and left our lovely home in Vietri Sul Mare. We stopped in town for a delicious coffee and sandwich while overlooking the Amalfi Coast. It was one of those moments for me. Just happy to be there.
Got on the road and headed for the airport. Getting to the airport, returning the car, shuttling back to the airport and boarding an Italian plane went rather uneventfully. The plane ride was short but not sweet. Loud and smelly and not very comfortable. Arriving in Palermo, Sicily we found our way to yet another rental car counter and picked up our car. This car is easier to drive per David and quite a bit more comfortable. It was about a 40 min drive to our Air BnB which also went quite smooth. A little bit of a challenge figuring out where out apartment was but we managed ok. All the Italian streets are the same, narrow and so difficult to figure out street names and where something is located. I think we are getting a little better at it. The woman who met us at the apartment and a long list of instructions, some of which are new. Every day but Sunday, you must pay five Euros to drive in this part of the city. There are certain streets that are pedestrian only and even though they are streets, you must not drive there. She told us how to buy a pass each morning to be allowed to drive and I'm just hoping we can figure out how to follow all the rules.
After settling in, we headed out to walk the city. I must admit to a rather rough entry. For some reason, I thought Palermo was a small town. It is a bustling international city with over a million people in its metropolitan area. Our apartment is right on Via Roma which is a very busy street. I'm not really a city girl but I'm trying to enjoy the rhythm of the life here in the heart of Palermo. Not sure how I missed knowing more about this city. I thought I did my research but sometimes you miss the big things. We walked to the Historical Center of the city which is very close to our apartment. The buildings are truly amazing and the Royal Palace here is the oldest royal building in Europe, built in the 9th century. It is another Unesco World Heritage site and not allowed to be altered. The churches and old buildings are everywhere, sculptures and paintings abound. It is Italy. Old and beautiful.
To say this was a wonderful day would not be the truth. But it had its charm and romance. Some travel days are harder than others. This was one of those, especially for me.
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